Principles of Marketing – Fourth European Edition

Written by: Philip Kotler

Philip Kotler, who created the field of social marketing (marketing which focuses on helping individuals and groups modify their behaviors toward healthier and safer living styles) has authored over 60 marketing books, including Principles of Marketing. The large work has gone through several editions and has been published in both the United States and Europe. Fortunately, for students, the fourth European edition is available, in English, for free online.

While this edition of Principles of Marketing may have been written and published with the European student in mind, it offers a huge amount of great information for any marketing student. After all, with the Internet, our world is smaller than ever before and many of us are developing marketing materials that will be viewed by people from all over the world. The authors note that the text includes examples and case students from Europe, Japan and the USA, among other countries.

Students should keep in mind that there are additional learning materials available from the authors and their publisher. However, these are limited to students who purchase a new textbook. The latest American edition, including access codes is apparently available on Amazon. Previous editions, probably without the access codes, are available at significantly reduced costs. Unfortunately, since the table of contents has not been made public for the 2017, 17th edition, I can’t offer suggestions on how much it might differ from the freely available European edition.

If the European edition does not match the edition you were assigned in class, perhaps the European version offers some case studies and other information that would be excellent starting points for class assignments.

Table of Contents for Principles of Marketing

Part 1: Marketing Now

Chapter 1: Marketing Now

Chapter Objectives

Prelude case: Nike

Introduction

What is marketing?

Needs, wants and demands

The market offering – producs, services and experiences

Value, satisfaction and quality

Exchange, transactions and relationships

Markets

Marketing

Marketing Management

Demand management

Building profitable customer relationships

Marketing management practice

Marketing management philosophies

The production concept

The product concept

The selling concept

The marketing concept

The soceital marketing concept

Marketing Insights 1.1 The citizen bands

Marketing in the noughties

Marketing Insights 1.2 A new dawn?

The marketing process

Strategy, marketing and planning

The marketing setting

Markets

Strategic Marketing

The marketing mix

Summary

Discussing the issues

Applying the concepts

References

Concluding concepts 1 KitKat: Have a break…

Chapter Two: Strategic Marketing

Chapter Objectives

Prelude Case: Poor little rich brands

Introduction

Strategic Planning

Overview of planning

The planning process

The strategic plan

The mission

SWOT analysis

The business portfolio

Marketing Insights 2.2 KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)

Developing Growth Strategies

Marketing within strategic planning

Planning functional strategies

Marketing’s role in strategic planning

Marketing and the other business functions

The marketing plant

Executive summary

Marketing audit

SWOT analysis

Objectives and issues

Marketing strategy

Marketing mix

Action programmes

Budgets

Controls

Implementation

Marketing organisation

Marketing control

Implementing marketing

Summary

Discussing the issues

Applying the concepts

References

Concluding concepts 2: Starbucks

Part Two: The Marketing Setting

Chapter Three: The marketing environment

chapter objectives

Prelude case: Big food has a lot on its plate

Introduction

The company’s microenvironment

The company

Suppliers

Marketing intermediaries

Customers

Competitors

Publics

The company’s macroenvironment

Demographic environment

Marketing Insights 3.1 We have a say!

Economic environment

Natural environment

Technological environment

Political environment

Cultural environment

Marketing Insights 3.2 Marimekko: Simplicity sells!

Responding to the marketing environment

Summary

Discussing the issues

Applying the concepts

References

Concluding concepts 3 Toyota Prius: green or geek machine?

Chapter four: Marketing in the Internet age

Chapter objectives

Prelude case Cool Diamonds: are they forever?

Introduction

Major forces shaping the Internet age

Digitalisation and connectivity

The Internet explosion

New forms of intermediaries

Customisation and custeromisation

Marketing Insights 4.1 The new dotcom landscape

Marketing strategy in the new digital age

E-business, e-commerce and e-marketing

Benefits to buyer

Benefits to sellers

E-commerce domains

B2C [business to consumer]

B2B [business to business]

C2C [consumer to consumer]

C2B [sonsumer to business]

Conducting e-commerce

Click-only versus click-and-mortar e-marketers

Setting up an e-marketing presence

Marketing Insights 4.2 Viral boosters for Virgin

The promise and challenges of e-commerce

The continuing promise of e-commerce

The Web’s darker side

Summary

Discussing the issues

Applying the concepts

References

Concluding concepts 4 eBay: connecting in China

Chapter five Marketing and society: social responsibility and marketing ethics